In various areas of greater Laksam Upazila in Cumilla, small-scale family-run improved breed duck, chicken, and livestock farms are currently suffering severe setbacks due to lack of proper support. Financial crises have put hundreds of such farms in several southern upazilas of the district at risk of closure.
There are many complaints including bankruptcy of Upazila Livestock Department officials, lack of proper balanced feed and financial assistance, and other difficulties. However, farm owners are not following government rules and regulations. As a result of the negligence of government officials, the government is losing revenue worth several lakhs annually. Besides, adulterated cattle feed and fish-poultry feed are rampant in local markets.
Due to price increases in beef, food, fish, and poultry, the general public is now beyond purchasing capacity. In the recent flood disaster, hundreds of duck, chicken feed, and livestock farms were damaged.
Multiple sources among poultry and livestock farmers say that locally, to increase the supply of nutritious food, eggs, and meat in southern upazilas of the district, and to achieve economic self-reliance of low-income families, several family-level duck and chicken farms have been established here and there.
Due to lack of monitoring by government officials, absence of interest-free loans and adequate facilities for farmers, and abnormal price hikes in food, electricity, medicine, and other related products in the current market, these poor farmers have fallen into a great crisis. Moreover, the Upazila Livestock Department and other relevant offices appear to be inactive. Especially, the entire area is facing various problems, with marginal farmers suffering. Day by day, poultry and livestock farming businesses are shrinking. Due to various reasons, calf-producing institutions are losing hundreds of crores annually. The reality is, if production and price were regulated, the market would be somewhat controlled and competitive.
Sources further say that in the southern upazilas of the district, around 500 farms are at risk of closure, and hundreds of workers are feared to become unemployed. Several farms have already closed. Some farmers who have set up poultry farms by buying leftover feed and medicine have fallen into losses and fled due to debt. Besides, around five upazilas, many poultry and livestock farms are being run without registration or certification from environment, health departments, or relevant authorities. In local markets, adulterated and low-quality animal feed and fish feed business run illegally, causing fear among all types of farmers. Yet, the Upazila Livestock Department officials remain mysteriously silent, causing various controversies among the local people.
Multiple affected sources say that villagers are facing great difficulties with diseased ducks, chickens, and livestock. Officials of that department, besides government duties, are busy with various businesses and private practices. Common people visiting the office cannot get medicine for duck and chicken diseases without paying money. Moreover, many officials reportedly sell medicines door to door to farm owners under the pretext of treatment and force them to buy poultry feed from their own businesses. On the other hand, there is no official financial loan arrangement. Although, in some cases, through bribery, a small amount of loan is given to poultry farms under the banner of the Signboard Farmers Association, it is insufficient compared to the need.
Repeated attempts to contact district and upazila livestock department officials by phone were unsuccessful.
